CH 20.1

Chapter 20.1 – Buying a Bicycle

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After Taobao went online, Su Qin would log on Taobao Chat every day when she arrived at the shop. This buyers/sellers instant communication software was launched in 2004.

Su Qin had read Taobao’s development history when she started Taobao in her previous lifetime.

In 2005, Taobao’s turnover had surpassed that of Wal-Mart sales. By 2006 this year, although people around Su Qin still hadn’t used Taobao much, according to the year-end-data of that year, the public were already accustomed to online ‘shopping’, with nearly 9 million people browsing Taobao every day.

She believes that even if their Taobao is not doing well now, their growth will slowly improve.

The lady boss, Chen Meixin, is from a well-to-do family, who has been abroad and is very generous to Su Qin.

She has never skimp on Su Qin’s salary nor cut back any of her commission. Not to mention in 2006, even a dozen years later, it was already pretty good that a small private shop assistant could take home a salary of over 3000 yuan.

It was precisely due to the lady boss’ generosity that Su Qin wanted to help her start up the Taobao store. On the contrary of boosting her sales, it was also a way to repay the lady boss for giving her a platform to make money.

In mid-May, the lady boss, Chen Meixin broke up with her boyfriend of 6 years.

Chen Meixin is 28 this year with a typical oval face. Although she has a double chin, her features are still attractive. She is 1.73 meters tall, stylishly dressed and could be seen as beautiful in the past. If she loses weight, she will probably look like how Su Qin has photoshop her.

Nevertheless, such a lady boss was dumped by her boyfriend.

Chen Meixin’s boyfriend, whom she met when she traveled to Hong Kong, is barely a rich second generation[1], who Su Qin had met several times. He is not ugly but slightly pompous.

On the first day of the breakup, Chen Meixin sat at the counter and cried till her eyes were red and swollen. Sobbingly, she told Su Qin about the ‘scumbag’ deeds for the whole morning.

The scumbag had found a beautiful university student, hence he dumped her and called her ‘fat woman’.

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Hearing this, Su Qin hung up the clothes she was ironing in passing then turned her head and said, “Fairly speaking, Sister Chen, your physique at most is a little overweight. That fat woman word doesn’t match you, okay? Also Sister Chen, your features are pretty good with a small face and your height is on par. Even if you are heavier than before, your temperament is still there. Don’t listen to the scumbag’s nonsense and don’t doubt yourself, he has just made an excuse to dump you.”

Chen Meixin pulled out a tissue to blow her nose and her voice garbled, “But I really love him ah. We’ve been together for 6 years, our parents have met and we are about to get married … “

“You should be glad that you broke up with him now, otherwise you might get scuffed and want to leave when he cheats after the marriage. Sister Chen, I knew a Jiejie[2] just like you who had been with her boyfriend for 8 years. She had given the man her youth but in the end, the man criticized that she was no longer youthful and beautiful, and that she was fat, so he dumped her. But then guess what?”

“What?”

Chen Meixin’s curiosity was piqued, like watching the 8 o’clock idol drama.

“Later, this Jiejie was really amazing. She started her own business and made money. She then dressed up, kept fit and lost weight. Although there were signs of age on her face, her figure and temperament were awesome with many men in pursuit and lived quite splendidly.”

Chen Meixin took a deep breath and spoke after a moment of silence, “Su-su, don’t come to work tomorrow. I’ll take a five-day break. These 5 days, you should also take a good rest and don’t study too hard.”

Breaking up with her boyfriend of 6 years, Su Qin understood Chen Meixin’s current mood and hoped that the lady boss could get over it soon.

“En.”

Chen Meixin added, “By the way, I’ll give you the shop key. If you need to use the computer, don’t go to the internet cafe and just surf online in the shop. My computer configuration is still okay and there’s no problem playing games.”

“Thank you, the great lovely kind lady boss!”

“Smooth-talker. Qin’er, when are you taking the Yunzhong exam ah? How many more months can you still stay with me?”

“The exam is next month. I can work till mid-August and let’s see the specific date. If I can’t get into Yunzhong, I’ll go back to my former high school and repeat senior high year one.”

“Pooh! Pooh! Pooh! Don’t speak nonsense. There’s certainly no problem attending Yunzhong since you work so hard. You have a good rest these few days and I will go on a trip. Put a vacation notice and your phone number outside when you leave. If the customers have any matching inquiries, let them call you directly.”

The lady boss paused for a moment and said, “Also, I’ve thought about it carefully. I will hire another girl here once you leave. I hope you can still work for me during the winter and summer vacation. After all, MySpace and Taobao marketing need you since I know nothing about these.”

This was what Su Qin wanted to tell her. All this time, she has been handling everything and didn’t teach Chen Meixin all these so that she could slack off. She wanted to be temporarily indispensable to Chen Meixin and also wanted this part-time job.

Five days off was a luxury for Su Qin, but she didn’t dare to relax with her current situation.

On Friday morning, Su Qin was woken up by an unknown phone call. Thinking that it was a customer, she politely said, “Hello, how do you do?”

The person on the other end of the phone was obviously startled by her greeting, thinking it was a wrong number and sounded nervous.

A long while later, the other end asked her, “Is this … Su-su?”

This voice …

“Wen Mei?”

After returning from Tuling County, Su Qin had no contact with her and only occasionally learned some of her recent situation through Meng Sisi. Wen Mei used to do quite well in the local high school and had passed the second-tier university admission, but she didn’t attend because of her family’s financial situation.

After she was rescued from the mountain, the media in her hometown reported the incident which also attracted the local government’s attention.

The teachers and principal of her former high school felt sorry for her when they learned that she couldn’t attend the university after passing the admission exam and was even abducted into the remote mountains. After knowing that she wanted to retake the university admission exam, the school authority agreed to let her return to school and waived her tuition fees, allowing her to study with the year 3 senior high students to prepare for the admission exam.

The university admission exam is at the beginning of next month, on the 6th, 7th and 8th of June.

“It’s me, Su-su. I heard Sisi say this is your handphone number, so I thought of trying to call you.” Wen Mei took a deep breath and told her, “Su-su, I’m about to take the university admission exam and I have to study hard in the coming days. I’m a little nervous, so I just want to chat with you. How are you doing recently?”

“Very good.” She responded, “How about you?”

Wen Mei laughed on the phone “I’m very good too. My teachers and classmates care about me very much and I’m doing pretty well on every exam. I want to get into Yunyang University.”

“Not bad, ah. I remember you want to study law? Yunyang University’s law faculty is ranked one of the best in the country. After all, law is Yunyang University’s top major and the grade requirement is not low, are you confident?”

“En, I didn’t forget what you asked Sisi to tell me. The teacher helped me analyze my previous exam results and I think I might still be able to make it. Su-su, I heard that you are going to take the Yunzhong exam, you should do your best too ah.”

“I will.”

[1]  富二代 (Fù èr dài) – children of entrepreneurs who became wealthy under Deng Xiaoping’s economic reforms in the 1980s.

[2] 姐姐 (Jiějiě) – Elder siste